Man&#39;s hat box for wardrobe trunks



Jan. 21, 1936. J. RlTTER, JR

MAN'S HAT BOX FOR WARDROBE TRU'NKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi e June 17, 1955 2 INVE TOR. 'I

ATTORNEYS Jan. 21, 1936. J. RITTER, JR

MANS HAT BOX FOR WARDROBE TRUNKS Filed June 17, 1935' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 21, 1936 PATENT OFFICE MANS HAT BOX FOR WARDROBE TRUNKS Julius Ritter, Jr., Racine, Wis. assignor to Hartmann Trunk Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application June 17, 1935, Serial No. 26,961

3 Claims.

invention relates to improvements in mens hat boxes for wardrobe trunks.

Wardrobe trunks are provided with drawers and compartments for many classes of articles and wearing apparel and it is common practice in the art to provide, in the drawer section, a large drawer especially adapted for the reception of ladieshats. There has been no attempt, however, to provide a drawer especially designed for the convenient and compact reception and packing of a plurality of mens hats.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a hat box for wardrobe trunks especially designed to efliciently and compactly receive and pack a plurality of mens hats, and to hold the same in protected position, without danger of dislodgment, during transportation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wardrobe trunk hat box which will hold several mens hats, as well as shoes and other articles of apparel.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a wardrobe trunk mans hat box wherein hats are rigidly held in separated positions, but which permits of the independent removal of a selected hat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hat carrying panel for removable lodgment within a wardrobe trunk hat box, said panel being adapted to quickly releasably receive and engage a mans hat without crushing the same.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide a mans hat box for wardrobe trunks which is of very simple construction, which is strong and durable, and which is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of embodiments of the invention and of the modes of constructing and utilizing hat boxes built in accordance therewith, may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a view of an open wardrobe trunk equipped with the improved mans hat box, portions of the latter being broken away and in section to show the interior thereof;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the hat box on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a "vertical sectional view thereof taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of hat box with a top tray removed;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of said hat box showing the tray therein;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the and the supporting shoulders therefor; V

Fig. '7 is a plan view of a hat carrying panel with a hat engaged thereby; and

Fig. 8 is a view of the panel with the hat removed and the flexible securing flap detached and folded back.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will appear that the numeral I0 designates a wardrobe trunk having the usual wardrobe section II and a drawer section I2 hingedly connected thereto. The lower drawer I3 in said drawer section is relatively deep and constitutes the mans hat box, the subject of the present invention. v

As will appear more particularly from Figs. 2 and 3 the hat box I3 is of rectangular shape, with an open upper end. It is formed by a tray bottom I4, end walls I5,, a rear wall I6, and a front wall H to which are attached the usual tabs or handles I8. Said hat box or drawer I3 is, of course, slidably mounted within the drawer section I2.

In the form of drawer shown in Figs. 1, 2 and .3, the interior is divided by a transverse vertical partition I9 to provide a hat compartment and a smaller shoe compartment 2I.

Within the corner portions of the hat compartment are vertical cleats 22 forming channels 23 to slidably receive hat carrying panels 24. The hat compartment 20 is adapted to receive a pair of panels 24; one against the inner surface of the end wall I5, and the other against a surface of the partition I9.

A hat carrying panel 24 is shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8, and it will be seen to comprise a rigid thin panel member of rectangular form having a flexible flap 25 attached to one edge portion thereof. The flap is formed with an oval opening 26 therein; and its free edge is provided with female snap fastener elements 21' adapted to cooperate with male snap fastener elements 28 on the panel opposite the edge to which the flap is permanently secured. There is also attached to said edge of the panel a tab 29 to facilitate lifting and handling of the panel.

To pack a hat, the same is placed on the surface of the panel 24, and then the flap 25 is folded over in a manner so that the crown of the hat projects through the opening 26. The fastener elements 21 are then engaged with the elements 28 to secure the flap in retaining position, as shown in Fig. '7. In this manner the brim portion of the hat is engaged between the flap and the panel, while the crown of the hat projects outwardly and is not confined nor subject to crushing. One loaded panel is next slid into a pair of channels against one end wall of the hat compartment, and another panel may be loaded in the same manner and positioned within the other end of the hat compartment. The arrangement is clearly disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the hat compartment is so proportioned that the crowns of the two hats project toward each other without actual contact. The compartment 2| may be used for shoes and other articles of apparel, and then the drawer is positioned in the drawer ,section 12 of the trunk in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

A modified form of mans hat box l3 for wardrobe trunks is disclosed in Figs. 4, and 6. Practically the entire interior of this form of box is utilized for hats and it has a relatively large capacity, being susceptible of packing as many as five mens hats. Vertical channel forming cleats 22 are secured in the corner portions of the box against inner wall portions. A loaded hat carrying panel 24 is adapted to be positioned flatly against the inner surface of the bottom of the box. In addition, a loaded hat carrying panel is positioned against each end wall of the box, in channels, and a loaded hat carrying panel is slidably mounted in channels against both the front and rear walls of the box. As thus loaded the five hats position as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and there is no crowding nor crushing of the crown portions of all of the hats. The form of hat carrying panels used are the same as that previously described and as shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8. However, the panels for the bottom of the box and for use against the front and rear walls are somewhat longer than the end panels. If desired, small commodity containers could be mounted centrally on the panels so as to be covered by a hat thereon.

The manner of packing the plurality of hats in the box [3' positions the hat crowns somewhat below the top of the box and thereby provides space for the use of a tray, if desired. The tray 30, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, is relatively shallow and is provided around its upper periphery, with a horizontal flange 3| to seat on the upper ends of the cleats 22'. Said tray is readily removable, and is useful for the receptionand packing of small articles of wearing apparel.

It will be evident that the improved hat box provides a novel and efiicient means for the carrying of a plurality of mens hats within an ordinary wardrobe trunk. The hats are carried very firmly, but without being in contact with one another, and there is no danger of the same being damaged. Any or all of the hat carrying panels are readily removable from the box, and each hat may be quickly engaged or disengaged with respect to its panel. The improved hat box also provides segregated space for the reception of articles other than hats.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details of construction, or to the precise arrangement of elements herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur topersons skilled in the art.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. A hat container, comprising a box member, a panel, a sheet-like, one-piece flexible member carried by the panel to releasably engage the brim of a hat to hold the hat against a surface of the panel, and means for removably mounting said panel within the box with its other surface against a wall thereof.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a hat carrying device, comprising a rigid panel member, and an apertured, flexible flap member securable over and to a face of the panel to engage and confine a portion of a hat.

3. As a new articleof manufacture, a hat carrying device, comprising a thin, rigid panel, and an apertured flexible flap secured at one edge to an edge of the panel and movable over the panel to engage and confine the brim portion of a hat mounted on the panel, with the crown of the hat extending through the aperture of the flap, there being cooperating releasable fastening means between a side edge of the panel and a free edge of the flap.

JULIUS RITTER, JR. 

